1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a sequencer that measures a sequence of nucleic acids such as DNAs.
2. Background Art
As a conventional sensor, there is a DNA sensor, for example, as shown in FIG. 20. The DNA sensor includes: a substrate 1; and functional molecules, that is, DNA probes 2, which are fixed onto the substrate 1. The DNA probes 2 form double strands together with complementary DNAs 3 as ligand molecules. Subject materials such as blood, saliva and river water, which have a possibility of containing a variety of DNAs 3, are exposed to the DNA probes 2, and thereafter, it is sensed whether or not the double strands are formed, whereby it can be detected whether or not the DNAs 3 of a sensing target are present in these subject materials.
As an analysis method, for example, there is a method of detecting a double-strand forming region of the DNA probes 2 and the complementary DNAs 3 in such a manner that the varieties of DNAs 3 to be exposed are marked in advance with a fluorescent substance 4, and each of the DNAs 3 is reacted with each of the above DNA probes 2, and thereafter, fluorescence of this reaction region is measured.
Examples resembling the DNA sensors as described above are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. H4-505763 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-285927.
Another example regarding a sequencer that measures a sequence (base sequence) of a nucleic acid such as DNA is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2002-525125.